Chisora withdrawn before 11th round as challenger becomes new European and
British heavyweight champion

Tyson Fury beat Dereck Chisora into submission over 10 one-sided rounds on Saturday night to move into the mandatory position to face Wladimir Klitschko for the World Boxing Organisation heavyweight title next year.

"I'm ready to challenge Klitschko, bring it on," said Fury.

It may have been one-sided, but Klitschko will not be quaking in his boots after a skilful yet not decisive showing from the still unbeaten 6ft 9ins tall Manchester heavyweight.

Fury became the European and British heavyweight champion with the victory, switching between orthodox and southpaw, dominating behind the jab, and landing neat rather than brutal uppercuts, yet he could not give the sold-out 18,700 crowd the knockout end to the night they craved.

The unbeaten 26-year-old dominated from start to finish and with Chisora's eyes closing, and a long look from the ringside physician, trainer Don Charles in Chisora's corner pulled his man out on his stool before the bell tolled for the 11th stanza.

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It handed Fury his 23rd career victory and 2015 will see him pursuing a lifetime dream of fighting Klitschko, even though Fury is convinced the Ukrainian will vacate the belt rather than face him.

Chisora, 30, now has a career record of 20 victories and five defeats.

The battle failed to live up to its full-throttle billing, however, with Fury in charge throughout, and the crowd jeered all of the later rounds as neither fighter unleashed the hits they have become so renowned for.

Chisora, who was defending the European title he won in September last year, was unable to avenge his 2011 loss to Fury when the Finchley fighter suffered his first career defeat via a unanimous points decision at Wembley Arena.

Chisora was coming into the fight on the back of a five-fight winning streak and appeared fitter and leaner than he was three years ago.

In contrast, there were suggestions Fury may struggle from a lack of sharpness having only fought two bouts in the last two years but the 6ft 9in fighter started strong, landing an early uppercut which wobbled his opponent.

Chisora was handed two warnings for low blows in the first round but there was a touching moment of respect in round two when the duo smiled and touched gloves after Fury had failed to land a wild right hook.

Chisora finally connected with an overhand right but Fury was dominating the early stages with a canny southpaw right jab and a handful of strong uppercuts.

The fight drifted through the halfway stage with neither fighter really committing themselves to strong hits and the crowd responded with a smattering of disappointed boos at the end of rounds six and seven.

Chisora struggled to trouble Fury, who was in cruise-control, peppering his opponent with jabs and undercuts but withholding any shattering blows to perk up a weary crowd.

Blood continued to stream from the nose, eye and mouth of Chisora and as the fight moved into round 10, it became clear the Londoner needed an unlikely knock-out to turn the contest in his favour.

Only his opponent, however, looked capable of ending the fight and at the end of the 10th round Chisora was reluctantly pulled out by his corner to confirm a thoroughly deserved victory for Fury.

Elsewhere on the card, Billy Joe Saunders edged an enthralling encounter with Chris Eubank Jr on points to retain his British, European and Commonwealth middleweight titles.

Eubank, the far less experienced of the pair, grew stronger as the contest wore on and proved a worthy opponent but it was Saunders who edged the contest.

A split decision saw two judges score the fight 115-114 and 115-113 in Saunders' favour while one had Eubank victorious 116-113.

The 25-year-old Saunders has now won all 21 of his professional fights and will have a shot at claiming the WBO title against the winner of Andy Lee's bout with Matt Korobov in Las Vegas next month.

Eubank, who had never gone further than eight rounds before, suffered his first career-defeat in 19 bouts but may well chase a rematch given the close result.

Saunders was highly critical of Eubank in the build-up to the fight, insisting he would retire if he lost to his opponent but the Hertfordshire traveller was pushed to the very end by his bitter rival.

There was no love lost from Eubank's camp either, with the 25-year-old labelling Saunders' behaviour a "disgrace" to boxing and vowing to establish himself in the biggest fight of his career so far.

Both fighters raised their arms and celebrated to the crowd at the final bell and while it was Saunders who won the favour of the judges, it would be a surprise if these two fighters were not to meet again.